This disclosure relates to an image forming system.
In an image forming apparatus, which is typified by a multifunction peripheral, a photoreceptor is irradiated with light, based on image data, to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor. Thereafter, a charged toner is fed onto the formed electrostatic latent image to form a visible image. Then, after the toner is transferred to a sheet of paper, the toner is fixed onto the sheet of paper. The sheet of paper onto which the toner has been fixed is discharged to the outside of the apparatus.
As for image forming apparatuses which are installed in offices, such an image forming apparatus is coupled to a network in a viewpoint of sharing the image forming apparatus by a plurality of users. Then, image data is transmitted and also a request for forming an image is issued from a computer installed at a desk of each user via the network, and then, printing is performed in the image forming apparatus. A technology related to an operation for a device of a user has been conventionally known.
Conventionally, a method for evaluating operability at the time of completion of a device in a design stage has been known. The known method for evaluating the operability includes a function-operation correspondence table creating step of creating a function-operation correspondence table that indicates, for all of functions that a device eventually has at the time of completion, an operation part that is to be operated in order for a user (an operator) of the device to cause the function of the operation part to be executed and a necessary number of times an operation is to be performed for each operation part, an operation number detection step of obtaining, when each of all of the functions is caused to be executed once, the number of times an operator of the device performs an operation for each operation part using the created function-operation correspondence table, an operation number totaling step of totalizing the number of times of an operation has been performed for each operation part, an operation ratio calculation step of calculating, for each operation part, the ratio of the number of times of an operation has been performed for the each operation part to the total of the number of times an operation has been performed for all of the operation parts, a deviation operation detection step of detecting, for each operation part, deviation of the number of times the user has performed the operation of each operation part, based on the operation ratio of the each operation part and the number of the operation parts, and an operability evaluation step of evaluating, based on the deviation of the number of times the user has performed the operation of each operation part, which has been detected, the operability of the device.
Conventionally, a printer selection method for selecting a desired printer from a plurality of printers coupled to a network has been known. The known printer selection method includes acquiring functions and operation states of the plurality of printers, calculating, based on the acquired functions and operation states, the degree of priority of each of the plurality of printers, and creating, based on the calculated degree of priority, a list of the plurality of printers to display the list. Furthermore, in the printer selection method, the degree of priority is determined in consideration of weight information that is determined by a result of a survey conducted to a user in advance.
Also, a typical image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus that is capable of notifying, when a failure occurs in a function unit provided for forming an image, a management device located in a remote area of information of the failure. Such a typical image forming apparatus includes a failure detection analysis unit that detects a failure and identifies the type of the failure, a service level setting unit that sets, in accordance with a request of a user, a plurality of service levels used for selecting the type of the failure which occurs in the function unit and the information of which a management device is notified when the failure occurs, and a failure information notifying unit that notifies the type of the failure, based on the service level.